DOC campsite(s) condition

Wifey and I took our fully self contained (thank heavens) caravan to Kakaho Reserve campsite, Link Road, Pureora State forest yesterday with intention of staying a couple of days. After registering and paying $20 online, we began reminiscing about having lived and worked in the area decades ago and anticipated a great time botanising; she’s the brain, I’m the mule for camera gear.

The reserve is a damned mess!

Bollards have been removed and much grass has been torn out by rampant drivers (mud tread prints). The bbq stations have been smashed to ground level leaving concrete, unburnt branches and galvanised brackets - guessing from burnt tables in the ashes. Random fires have been lit where campers have pitched camp. Blackberry and broom have encroached from much of the boundary onto unmown grass. Worst of all is the state of one toilet I checked. The commercial sized twin paper dispenser was empty, multiple domestic loo cardboard rolls littered the floor and faecal matter had dried solidly onto parts of the dunny.

Simply put, the place was a filthy, disgusting mess. We stayed one night only as nocturnal arachnid study was the reason for the visit.

I have notified DOC of the state of Kakaho campground and invited them to call me. If they’re prepared to provide a Ute, petrol water blaster, disinfectant and suitable tools, I’m offering to return to clean up what I can.

Has anyone experienced similar conditions at other DOC campsites?

that's disappointing to hear, good on you for offering to help clean it up, I hope they take you up on that :cool:

I haven't been back to Kakaho since Heather and Norm were camped there many years ago and 'managed' the place....DOC built a 'sunny dunny' there and I have always meant to go back and see if it was still operational.

What a shame. The camp I am most familiar with would be the Managamate Falls camp at Minginui. For a number of years I would sleep there overnight and then move on into the bush first thing next day but more importantly, the camp was a fantastic place to holiday with my family which we did several times over the year,s. The last time I went there, the Denny’s were chokka full and there was graffiti all over the outdoor kitchen and the honesty box was being treated like the local mob,s piggy bank. It was very disappointing to see.

i think they put more effort into the piropiro campsite as it is the halfway point for the cyclists on the timber trail ...... if it wasnt it would be in the same state.
is it just me or has anyone else noticed the rarity of a DOC ranger visiting the campsites and engaging with campers is on a par or less regular than a kakapo breeding season?

So what is it that spiders do in the dark?....got plenty of those big black and big brown ones here, never thought to observe them after lights out....I think the brown ones are those that dive under water to escape, they bite, the bastards.

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Originally Posted by DavidGunn

So what is it that spiders do in the dark?....got plenty of those big black and big brown ones here, never thought to observe them after lights out....I think the brown ones are those that dive under water to escape, they bite, the bastards.

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I had no interest in them until Shirley convinced me to stumble round in the dark. From my observations, they often spin webs at night, catching several prey that are cocooned ready for pantry storage. The colours, shapes and patterns of some spiders are unreal.

Kakaho campsite has been going backwards for the last decade or so. It got some TLC about 6 years ago, but that was a one-off. It does suffer from hoons more than some other campsites as it has lots of 4wd tracks close by.

Pretty sad really. I remember the days I camped overnight there enroute back to Tihoi Venture School after climbing Titiraupenga. How DOC can even think about a fee for camping there, leaves me wondering.

A Pureora critter[ATTACH]220531 [ATTACH]220531[/ATTAC

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Originally Posted by Ingrid 51

Pretty sad really. I remember the days I camped overnight there enroute back to Tihoi Venture School after climbing Titiraupenga. How DOC can even think about a fee for camping there, leaves me wondering.

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Out spotlighting one night came across a bunch of kids from the TVS who were rained out of their overnight bivvies and took them back to the Link Road huts and dried them out.

I am familiar with a number of South Island DoC camp sites and these are always extremely well run
The one at Lake Pearson is serviced 5 days a week by a DoC contractor

Frankly we would be screwed in the SI from the pressure of tourists of these were not well run and readily available
The contractor encourages freedom campers adjacent to relocate to The camp site and pay their fee
He knows all their tricks and where to catch them

On his beat are a couple of DoC camp sites and a number of DoC public toilets

This is on the main state highway to Arthurs Pass so the numbers are huge at times

thats really good of you to volunteer your time - and I hope DOC take you up on it - would seem not a budget priority over there -a suggestion if they do take you up perhaps put a flier over this forum maybe others close by to help out - all the best -

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Originally Posted by Mohawk .308

DoC are pretty bloody hopeless these days ( like a lot of Govt departments) A mate phoned DoC Taupo to enquire about Kiko Rd and the guy hadn’t even heard of it!

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Understand DOC's has a call centre now, call goes to the next available operator anywhere in the country. Tried to call lately due to slip on a local walking track, call was answered in Invercargill. Local guy rang back later in the day. As far as DOC staff being in local hunting areas checking, have only sighted them when a 1080 drop is in progress. Never been asked for a permit in 20 years here.

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Originally Posted by Ingrid 51

Wifey and I took our fully self contained (thank heavens) caravan to Kakaho Reserve campsite, Link Road, Pureora State forest yesterday with intention of staying a couple of days. After registering and paying $20 online, we began reminiscing about having lived and worked in the area decades ago and anticipated a great time botanising; she’s the brain, I’m the mule for camera gear.

The reserve is a damned mess!

Bollards have been removed and much grass has been torn out by rampant drivers (mud tread prints). The bbq stations have been smashed to ground level leaving concrete, unburnt branches and galvanised brackets - guessing from burnt tables in the ashes. Random fires have been lit where campers have pitched camp. Blackberry and broom have encroached from much of the boundary onto unmown grass. Worst of all is the state of one toilet I checked. The commercial sized twin paper dispenser was empty, multiple domestic loo cardboard rolls littered the floor and faecal matter had dried solidly onto parts of the dunny.

Simply put, the place was a filthy, disgusting mess. We stayed one night only as nocturnal arachnid study was the reason for the visit.

I have notified DOC of the state of Kakaho campground and invited them to call me. If they’re prepared to provide a Ute, petrol water blaster, disinfectant and suitable tools, I’m offering to return to clean up what I can.

Has anyone experienced similar conditions at other DOC campsites?

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Post from 12 months ago sorry, has anyone visited Kakaho campsite recently?
What rating would you give it, 1 been total shitter - 10 been amazing.
Reason I ask is Some friends want to camp there over Easter and sure there are better places to camp?
Could be totally wrong
Cheers The Creeper

Went/drove around it between Xmas and New Year to be honest better than when our kids last camped there.
Mind you it was pissing down and those left were the young, money is tight, hunter types that have a few clues.(us in our youth)
But it is a gamble what company you get.
As in very much doubt we will camp at the Mangatutu Hot Springs again for a while.
The lowlifes hogging the hot tubs drinking piss have put us off.
When it was hunters, fishermen and the trampers in the past it was a lot nicer and felt a lot safer and I guess all three groups would say the same.
Genuine people do not treat public facilities like more appear to be doing now.
Another option is the Ngaherenga Campsite at Pureora itself and a chance of watching the bats.

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Originally Posted by Rushy

What a shame. The camp I am most familiar with would be the Managamate Falls camp at Minginui. For a number of years I would sleep there overnight and then move on into the bush first thing next day but more importantly, the camp was a fantastic place to holiday with my family which we did several times over the year,s. The last time I went there, the Denny’s were chokka full and there was graffiti all over the outdoor kitchen and the honesty box was being treated like the local mob,s piggy bank. It was very disappointing to see.

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If thats the one just before you get to minganui its closed. Theres 3 camp sites in that imediate area the we know of

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Originally Posted by Ingrid 51

The reserve is a damned mess!... much grass has been torn out by rampant drivers (mud tread prints)... random fires have been lit where campers have pitched camp...
Has anyone experienced similar conditions at other DOC campsites?

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Sounds a bit like Kumeti, though this is no longer a DoC–run campsite. This season Kumeti has instead become a dumping ground for carcasses, lambs' tails, seafood waste, and burnt tyres. I don't think the new custodians want any camping there. The same folk thought it was a sound idea to remove the wharepaku altogether, so it is now necessary to watch your step in the surrounding bush.

its sad to see but having managed DOC campsites the ones that got looked after were the ones that we managed to get volunteers to look after - they stayed for free and I always managed to get a little budget and drop of fresh food for them - to say they did a fantastic job is an understatement - the thunder sheds were scrubbed rubbish done etc -but such people are a very rare beast - so if ya so inclined see if DOC will do same with your favorite site

There a month ago and would give it a 4 heaps of clowns on quads and side by sides playing not hinting. Actually glad they didn't have rifles.

Facilities are untidy wrecked and it's a mess not like it was 25 years ago.

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Originally Posted by ariki

Facilities are untidy wrecked and it's a mess not like it was 25 years ago.

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Thanks for the feedback